Shan You Reviews

The organisation’s name translates to “noble friend,” reflecting values like compassion, morality, mindfulness, and wisdom. Sadly, these are values expected of staff toward beneficiaries but rarely extended to staff themselves. Frequent leadership changes bring new directions and confusion. Staff who want to stay and continue contributing genuinely explore ways to make that possible, yet these efforts are often dismissed under vague justifications of fairness or operational needs. When clarification is sought, responsibility is deflected elsewhere, sometimes even to people who are unavailable or on extended leave. This reflects poor accountability and a lack of basic empathy. Flexibility is applied inconsistently. Some employees are granted extended or exceptional arrangements, while others making reasonable, operationally sound requests, such as supporting key sessions or ensuring continuity during transitions, receive only token concessions. Attempts to compromise are often brushed aside. It gives the impression that decisions are driven by convenience and optics rather than fairness or genuine operational understanding. Employee benefits remain minimal, with only 15 days of annual leave since inception and no sign of review. At the governance level, leadership renewal is long overdue. Long-standing figures continue to hold influence for decades, fostering an insular environment resistant to accountability and change. Constructive feedback is rarely welcomed, and those who question the status quo may find themselves quietly sidelined. Whistleblowing channels exist on paper, but in practice, attention often falls on who raised concerns rather than what was raised. No Executive Director has stayed beyond a year in recent times. The underlying cultural and governance issues remain unexamined while morale continues to erode. The organisation’s values are beautifully worded, but until they are reflected in how staff are treated, they remain little more than branding. HR leadership, in particular, contributes heavily to this dysfunction. Communication is often unclear, with expectations left unspoken yet somehow assumed. There is a pattern of condescension and selective fairness that undermines trust, preaching professionalism while practising it subjectively. On occasions, some leaders has also overridden other team leaders’ decisions while they were on medical leave, acting outside of its jurisdiction and disregarding established reporting lines. Such behaviour blurs boundaries, erodes confidence in leadership, and creates confusion about authority and accountability. At times, unprofessional conduct has been displayed openly, including loud arguments in shared spaces and remarks about certain staff being “easier to handle.” These incidents damage morale and foster an environment of control rather than collaboration. Micromanagement of trivial matters, like desk decor or how staff spend their lunch, overshadows more pressing issues such as workload, burnout, and retention. The culture rewards compliance over critical thinking, and initiative is too often mistaken for insubordination.

Leader not knowledgeable in sales and fund raising